Does NARA allow me to use scanners or other personal copying equipment?
36 C.F.R. § 1254.80
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) Subject to §§ 1254.26(d) and 1254.86, you may use scanners and other copying equipment if the equipment meets certain conditions or minimum standards described in paragraphs (b) through (g) of this section. Exceptions are noted in paragraph (h). The supervisor administering the research room or the senior staff member on duty in the research room reviews the research room attendant's determination if you request.
(b) Equipment platens or copy boards must be the same size or larger than the records. No part of a record may overhang the platen or copy board.
(c) No part of the equipment may come in contact with records in a manner that causes friction, abrasion, or that otherwise crushes or damages records.
(d) We prohibit drum scanners.
(e) We prohibit automatic feeder devices on flatbed scanners. When using a slide scanner, we must check slides after scanning to ensure that no damage occurs while the slide is inside the scanner.
(f) Light sources must not raise the surface temperature of the record you copy. You must filter light sources that generate ultraviolet light.
(g) All equipment surfaces must be clean and dry before you use records. You may not clean or maintain equipment, such as replacing toner cartridges, when records are present. We do not permit aerosols or ammonia-containing cleaning solutions. We permit a 50 percent water and 50 percent isopropyl alcohol solution for cleaning.
(h) If you wish to use a scanner or other personal copier in a regional archives or Presidential library, contact the facility first for approval. Not all facilities permit the use of scanners or personal copying equipment because of space, electrical load concerns, and other reasons. Your request must state the space and power consumption requirements and the intended period of use.
(i) In facilities that provide a self-service copier or permit the use of personal paper-to-paper copiers or scanners, you must show documents you wish to copy to the research room attendant for approval.
(j) If you have any question about what is permissible at any given facility, consult with the facility before your visit. Contact information for our facilities is found in part 1253 of this chapter and at the NARA Web site, http://www.archives.gov.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-36.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026